The US President along with President Gustavo Petro have escalated the volume in their verbal conflict, increasing strains bilaterally following American military units attacked Venezuela to remove the leader of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro from office.
"He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories and his time is running out," Trump remarked.
Growing Tensions and Claims
Addressing reporters on Sunday, the American leader threatened comparable armed intervention towards the South American nation, claiming the nation is “very sick too” and led by a problematic figure involved in producing cocaine and distributing it to America."
While Colombia remains the leading producer of cocaine, there is no evidence implicating Gustavo Petro, the nation's current leader, is directly connected to the illicit industry.
A Frayed Partnership
The country for decades served as a staunch collaborator of the US in the struggle against narcotics trade and received wide political approval in Washington, yet ties have deteriorated significantly after Trump assumed the presidency.
Colombia’s illicit drug economy is predominantly run by guerrilla factions like the Golf Clan, another leftist insurgency and renegade units of the demobilized Farc, most of its former fighters disbanded following a 2016 peace deal.
The President's Firm Rebuttal
Upon being questioned if a military operation similar to Venezuela was being considered regarding Colombia, Trump replied: "That seems like a good idea to me."
President Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who disarmed decades ago, rejected the accusations. "I am neither illegitimate and I am not a narco," he declared.
"He comments without knowledge. Stop slandering me," he wrote in a post.
"If they [the US] bomb civilians, they will become numerous insurgents in the hills. And should they arrest the nation's leader, which many of Colombians holds in high esteem, they will unleash the powerful force of the populace," Petro warned.
From Fighter to Statesman
The president dedicated a period in his early life participating in the left-wing M-19 armed organization but is not believed that he never engaged in fighting. After demobilizing, he participated in writing a new constitution in the early 90s and eventually served as a respected lawmaker. He served as mayor of Bogotá before winning president.
"I pledged to never again hold a weapon again ... but for Colombia I shall resume the fight," he said.
Reinforced Protection along with Cross-Political Rejection
Colombia's defense chief stated that Petro's protection team had been reinforced.
A segment of Colombia’s political right have expressed support with the US president, however, leaders from all sides of Colombian politics have denounced the notion of American military action on Colombia.
Bilateral and Financial Sanctions
American authorities cancelled his travel authorization after he called on US troops to ignore any illegal orders. Months later, it placed asset freezes targeting Petro, his spouse and a number of associates.
Concurrently the US was building up its troop levels near Venezuela and bombing suspected drug boats against Venezuela’s Maduro, American military assets have also conducted attacks on maritime targets off the Pacific coast off the Colombian coast.
